An inauspicious start to our holiday of Tasmania begun with an afternoon of packing the car as we do ahead of ourselves and our usual Tuesday evening spent with the neighbours down at the local tavern for dinner and as we had no food in the house this was a great plan. Hopped in the car to trundle down and The Fonz did not want to start for us. Luckily we have a battery charger but that was for overnight charge and Paul kindly gave us a lift so we could be fed and watered then home where we stupidly had to watch three episodes of a series prior to leaving the next morn. Neither of us slept well in the few hours we had left but eventually got away by seven, thank you Fonzie for cooperating. Usual trip south to our Mexican counterparts, breakfast at Gunning, lunch at Holbrook and arrived at Stanley for a visit with the grandchildren. Spent a delightful afternoon of eating raspberries, blackberries and blueberries from the abundantly laden bushes in their garden with help from little hands. So the next morning after a not so great breakfast at Beechworth, business opportunity for someone to open a cafe at 7:30 for those tourists that want to eat decently. Anyway we pottered down south further heading for Kallista with a stop for lunch at Healsville. Again disappointed as a cafe we rather enjoyed on a previous visit was no more. You know that feeling when you have your heart set on a certain craving of a food or meal and it is not available - but it is just what you wanted...ho hum. So off we trotted again and made it to Jacqueline's house for our next couple of nights. Friday we just had to fill in by some shopping at IKEA where we have a system of Wally driving us there and sitting outside whilst we peruse the merchandise, more quickly than we would like but he does it with a smile. Well usually as he was feeling a bit off for some reason. Lunch at our favourite dumpling place and then an afternoon of putting up shelves etc. Dinner was to be at the Independent in Gembrook an Argentinian restaurant that Jacqueline and Richard have dined at previously and decided we needed to partake of Bob Mark 2. Bob Mark 1 was a suckling pig we had on our 'leaving party' prior to moving to the country and it was very much enjoyed by all at that time, three years ago. Anyway Bob2 was delicious except for the problem of the sick one across the table who couldn't eat and started getting the shakes and a temp, not at all well. Back to home and put him to bed with clock set at 5:30 am start in the morn for our sail to Tas. Noooo I did not want to have to do that drive into Melbourne if he was not well enough so I didn't sleep worrying about him. But all was well, kind of in the morning and we departed for our holiday finally.

The trip into St Kilda was good being a Saturday morning but then queuing for an hour to get onto the Spirit of Tasmania on a sun drenched glistening morning. All goes like clockwork as they pack the sardines into the hull of the vessel and finally we were off and sailing thru Port Phillip Bay and across the Strait. We had paid extra to have recliner chairs in a lounge area, well worth the money as you are not with the rabble and no kids and you can snooze if you feel the need etc. Nine hours on a boat is not my idea of fun at all but I doodled at my drawings although to rocky for any fine stuff I was doing. Breakfast was dismal on board and we ended up with a deadish sandwich but lunch was okay typical RSL buffet type food but it fills in some time. Arrived in Devenport at 6:45 to a beautiful afternoon and it looks so delightful coming up the river towards our dock but it took an hour to extricate the sardines off the boat, they sure pack us in tightly, and we were one of the last of course. Headed towards Ulverstone, driving into a blazing sunset which did not do much for our exhausted eyes, for our two day stay at the Big 4 caravan park in a cabin. Quick dinner before collapsing into a comatose state for the evening.

Today is planned to be spent with our Manni Moo (named by Joshua 24 years ago as Samantha was just so much harder to say), husband Marty and children Gabby and Ellie who live here. Look forward to seeing their happy faces on this side of the ditch as our last visit was to their wedding which I cant remember how many years ago. So we are now finally on our holiday, the day is sparkling and so are we. xxxx